The managament are most probably to scared to deal with the poor sickness levels as they might have the unions jumping all over them.Its most probably a ``little perk`` that the management and unions have agreed upon.Let the members have a little sickie.They should start to manage the sickness problem robustly.Start to sack some of the skiving tnucs.

There are bone idle people in all walks of life. Very few of them earn £200,000 with a £500,000 pension and even fewer get to state their views before right-wing think tank dedicated to privatising public services.

its a fact that sickness levels in the pulic services were a joke ..but from a modern fire service view sickness levels are falsely low...you cant go to a sick bay or pop into the doc on sick parade and book light duties with the green shield of steel..you are either 100 percent fit to wear BA and fight fires or you go sick..but if you do go sick you lose your cpd (about 500 to 900 squid per anum ) so firemen all come in unfit for duty..and yet still they hit you with a big stick...the trouble is sickness did need to be dealt with but now its an obsession so the balance needs addresing or we need a military system where we could come in light duties ..but that would require a massive increase in manpower so thats a non starter

Tony McGiurk is not a **** or a fat cat or indeed idle. He is however spot on when he points out that it is possible to cut the cost of public services without reducing their effectiveness. An unpopular point of view only surpassed in its unpopularity by the suggestion that public "servants" might take a pay cut - like they did in some cases in Ireland last year. They still have jobs though.

its a fact that sickness levels in the pulic services were a joke ..but from a modern fire service view sickness levels are falsely low...you cant go to a sick bay or pop into the doc on sick parade and book light duties with the green shield of steel..you are either 100 percent fit to wear BA and fight fires or you go sick..but if you do go sick you lose your cpd (about 500 to 900 squid per anum ) so firemen all come in unfit for duty..and yet still they hit you with a big stick...the trouble is sickness did need to be dealt with but now its an obsession so the balance needs addresing or we need a military system where we could come in light duties ..but that would require a massive increase in manpower so thats a non starter

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Or alternatively, the Fire Service could come into the same world as the rest of the worlds fire brigades and start doing things like driving ambulances and other such less physical jobs instead of having their work routines and practices factored around fitting in their second jobs.

Or alternatively, the Fire Service could come into the same world as the rest of the worlds fire brigades and start doing things like driving ambulances and other such less physical jobs instead of having their work routines and practices factored around fitting in their second jobs.

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Except that in the UK, Fire Appliance drivers are employed by the local Fire and Rescue Service, and Ambulance Drivers are employed by the local NHS Ambulance Trust (Two (2) very different bodies). Ambulance drivers (even those who aren't paramedics) have a different skill set to Firemen. BTW, being an ambulance driver isn't necessarily any less physical than being a fireman - they still have to lift (very) heavy dead weights (admittedly without the embuggerance of smoke and intense heat).

Ever been to a tri-service integrated control room, with Police, FRS and ambulance services? "Integrated" is the most inappropriately used word in that context, I have ever come across...The FRS boys and girls have to be behind closed doors, so they can indulge in kipping et cetera, without being disturbed by noisy policemena dn ambulance officers.

Except that in the UK, Fire Appliance drivers are employed by the local Fire and Rescue Service, and Ambulance Drivers are employed by the local NHS Ambulance Trust (Two (2) very different bodies). Ambulance drivers (even those who aren't paramedics) have a different skill set to Firemen. BTW, being an ambulance driver isn't necessarily any less physical than being a fireman - they still have to lift (very) heavy dead weights (admittedly without the embuggerance of smoke and intense heat).

You haven't thought this through have you.

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Yes I have.

Now, please explain to me why British firepersons can't operate the same as the rest of the worlds firepersons seem to find doable. And enough with this difffent 'skillset' as a driver.

Well, if you'd like to conduct a root and branch review of both the Fire and Rescue Services and the many NHS Ambulance Trusts and tell Dave where he could save money feel free (Oh, and do share with the rest of us).

Well, if you'd like to conduct a root and branch review of both the Fire and Rescue Services and the many NHS Ambulance Trusts and tell Dave where he could save money feel free (Oh, and do share with the rest of us).

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Thought not, you can't come up with a valid reason why UK firepersons cant drive ambulances and provide basic on site first aid.

Now, as to changes? It's been considered before and the relevant Unions, especially the Firepersons one were ferociously opposed to the concept. There is no valid case for seperate fire and ambulance services, each with their own private fiefdoms and stations and shift patterns that have little to do with providing an efficient service and much to do with permitting the runing of second jobs like painting & decorating, car repair and gardening services.. They both usually go to the same place, vast savings are to be had, but it would mean that instead of spending large amounts of time watching telly and reading, the people at my local fire station would actually have to pop their heads out of the station from time to time.